Into the Underworld
by FanFicGirl10987
Summary: I've had a couple months of training, but the ninja still don't trust me to take care of myself! Even when I come up with the mission, they keep me out of it! Well, Im going whether they like it or not. Of course I'm not going alone, I've learned you're never alone when you have friends. Mine aren't giving up on me, and I won't give up on them.
1. Prologue

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu or any of its characters. I do however own Echo, Alex, Lucas, Zoey, Nancy, and Caleb. Tove belongs to Madi (madi51000), Lillie belongs to Bryanna (BubblyMahomie), and Vanessa belongs to Alyson (she doesn't have an account)._**

**We have entered the second chapter in Echo's life. I hope you enjoy. **

* * *

It's been two months since I first arrived at the Bounty, discovered my powers, fought a group of serpentine single handedly, found my real family, and joined the ninja. Thank goodness it wasn't all in one day! Well, as of last month I started going back to school regularly. The ninja had me on go on certain days to start out, in case the serpentine decided to attack me on my way to or from school. I'm trained well enough now that if that does happen, I could easily escape and make it back to the Bounty.

Alex, who'd sworn to my best—and at the time only—friend that she'd protect me with her life, argued that I should've been homeschooled so I could focus on my training as well. I wanted to go to a regular school though. I wasn't as shy as I was when I lived in the orphanage. I was ready to actually start talking to people. So in the end it was decided I'd continue school at Ninjago Elementary School. Though, because of my extent knowledge, I've been moved up a grade. Gosh I love my mom!

I walked into the classroom, like I've done only a few times before. I was still getting use to going down the third and fourth grade hall and not the first and second grade hall. I sat down in my seat and put my backpack on the back of it, waiting for class to start.

"Ooh, Echo!" Nancy, a friend who lives in the orphanage, squealed when she saw me. She ran over and sat down next to me. "Guess who got adopted yesterday!"

I shrugged. She's always telling me all about who gets adopted and when. "Was it you?" I guessed.

"No," Nancy frowned. "I'm not getting adopted, remember?"

Nancy believed that since she had insomnia that she was never getting adopted. She can't ever go to sleep until four in the morning and she can't wake up until seven. Anyone who had a job or wanted to do something in the morning wouldn't be able to go until Nancy was awake. She's told me that when she's older then she could walk to school by herself, but then there was the thirteen thing. No one gets adopted after they become a teenager, so Nancy just accepted the fact that she won't ever get adopted.

"Okay, who got adopted?" I pressed.

"Caleb!" Nancy exclaimed with a small squeal of delight.

"Really?" I asked. "That's great! I guess they can read sign language then."

"Well of course!" Nancy agreed. "That or be a mind reader."

See, Caleb was a mute in our grade. He had a special helper that had to be with him in some classes. He was really nice, and after learning sign language, we became close friends. He didn't have a lot of friends because of it, and since I knew how it felt to be treated like no one noticed me, I decided to learn sign language to be his friend. That... and I thought Caleb was kind of cute. His hair was dirty blond and a little shaggy and his green eyes...

I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned to see the green eyed mute. _Hello, Echo, _he signed. _How are you today?_

"I'm great," I smiled to him. "And how are you? I heard you got adopted."

Caleb nodded and signed, _It was hard to adjust sleeping in a different bed and room._

"Yeah, I noticed that too when I got adopted... Well before that when... You know..." I looked down at my desk. Caleb and Nancy were the two of the few people that knew I lived with the ninja. It was to dangerous to tell people, but I trusted them.

"Speaking of which!" Nancy said. "Have you been on any... missions lately." She whispered the last part.

"No," I told her. "The others think I'm not ready and that I should stay on the Bounty."

_I am sure you are an excellent fighter, _Caleb signed after snapping his fingers next to me to get my attention. _I have seen you on the jungle gym._ He smiled at me, which was his version of a laugh.

I decided to humor it and said, "Well I am pretty good at the monkey bars too."

Nancy busted out laughing. "Monkey bars!" she laughed. "Yeah because that shows you're a true ninja!"

I giggled. "And you have to admit, climbing the slide is a breeze for me."

Caleb smiled even bigger. _Definitely,_ he signed. _So the ninja should definately not worry. _The teacher came in and class started.

* * *

I walked out to the playground and sat down on the bench for a moment. Nancy and Caleb were still eating when we were dismissed. Caleb can't exactly communicate and eat at the same time, so when he's a little behind us we take turns staying with him until we're done. Today happened to be Nancy's turn.

"Hey, Geeko," a voice said.

I felt myself tense up. While there are a few people who like me and a few that don't even know me—there's only one elementary school in Ninjago City so you can imagine a lot of kids go there—a couple don't like me. They tease me because one month I'm a second grader and the next I'm a third grader. Geeko is a nickname some girl gave me. Her name is Samantha and she's failed third grade twice. No wonder she picks on me!

I stood up and turned around. "Hi, Samantha," I said sweetly. "How are you today?"

"Not good," she said, pretending to be upset. "I don't have my homework done. So I need yours."

"Uh, but then I won't have homework to turn in," I told her, then quickly added, "Plus I wrote my name in pen. It would be pretty suspicious if they noticed a name scribbled out."

"Then I'll just copy your answers," Samantha said. "You'll let me do that, right?"

I shook my head. "I'd get in trouble for letting you copy my homework." She's done it before, that and taking it. I was glad this was happening outside and not during our free time before the teacher starts class. She couldn't just swipe it from me.

"Geeko, I don't want to have to hurt you," Samantha said. "But if you don't give me your homework, things could get messy."

"Messy's my middle name," I mumbled. I wasn't allowed to bring my kunai to school, school policy prohibited weapons, but I was allowed to use my ninja skills in self defense.

The two fourth graders behind Samantha snickered. "Right, little Geeko can fight. I forgot all about those rumors," one of them said.

"If you can really fight, why haven't you before?" the other asked.

"I'm not allowed to pick fights," I replied softly.

"Pity," Samantha said. "Now about homework..."

"You're not getting my homework," I said sternly.

Samantha huffed and pushed me down. Her and the fourth graders laughed. A couple other kids nearby that were watching laughed too. I felt my blood boil. What was so funny about it? So she pushed me! It's not a big deal! I've been knocked down more times by the ninja during training.

I pushed myself up and glared at Samantha. "That wasn't funny," I growled. I hadn't noticed the dark clouds until it was too late. They grew bigger and blocked out the sun, and that's when everyone noticed.

"I didn't realize it was suppose to rain today," someone said.

"It's not!" another kid shouted.

Samantha stared at me. "Forget the nickname Geeko, you're Freako!" she yelled. Everyone took off away from me.

The clouds vanished as Nancy and Caleb ran over to me. "Echo, what was that?" Nancy gasped. "You can make clouds?" Okay, they knew I was a ninja but they never knew about my powers.

"I don't want to talk about it," I mumbled, turning to head inside.

Caleb caught my arm and I looked to him. _Tell us,_ he signed. _Please. We will not judge you._

I sighed. "I've had them for a few months. That's how I found the ninja, leading to them adopting me."

"So... Now what?" Nancy asked. "Everyone knows about your powers."

"Now my mom will probably ground me," I said. "Or my dad will make me train to control my powers."

_Or both,_ Caleb suggested. I glared at him. _Sorry._

"Let's just go inside," I said. "I should be fine." The two exchanged a glance before nodding and we headed back inside.

* * *

**So how's that for an introduction? Review, don't flame, live long, laugh a lot, love everyone, be happy, be healthy... and I'll stop ranting...**


	2. Chapter 1

**Guest: LOL! That's a great idea, I might use it sometime! Anyway, I didn't even think about what the teachers would say…hmmm…**

**I hope y'all enjoy this chapter! (Did I just say Y'all?)**

* * *

"Echo," Misako, my mom—I'm still only getting use to referring to her as Mom—chided. "We went over it a thousand times! You have to get ahold of your powers, especially at school."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean to, but Samantha was asking for it!"

"Wait, Samantha as in the ten-year-old third grader?" Alex questioned. "How many times has she picked on you?"

"Not a lot," I mumbled. "Just sometimes."

"Echo, you should've gone to a teacher," Wu, my dad, told me.

"I know," I moaned. "Can we just get to the point where you ground me or something?"

Misako and Wu exchhanged looks. "I think you should stay in your room unless you have to train or go to school," Misako said.

"Agreed," Wu said.

"I think I'm going to go call the principal and report that Samantha girl," Alex muttered, walking out of the room.

"So, until Lloyd comes to get you, you'll stay here," Misako told me before leaving. Wu didn't say anything before following her out.

I collapsed onto my bed and stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours. I sighed and stood up, walking around the room for a moment. My eyes stopped on Alex's nightstand. I had only opened it once before, but I didn't study the items enough. I was seven, seven and curious. I walked over to the nightstand and opened the drawer. It contained a ninja suit—small enough for me—a hair tie, a small bottle of glass shards, and a multi colored flower.

I picked the flower up and studied the petals. They were dry, but they wouldn't break. It seemed to be in fine condition besides the fact it was wrinkled. Each petal was a different color, I'd never seen anything like it before. One petal in preticular caught my eye though. It was a dark teal color, but there was something about it.

"Echo," Alex said softly. "Put my Ninjago Blossom down." She was trying to hide it, but I could hear the anger in her voice.

I set the flower back in the drawer. "What's a Ninjago Blossom?" I asked, turning to her.

"It's a rare flower," Alex replied. "It only blossoms every hundred years. The last time it did blossom I was five... So you have eighty-five more years to wait to get one. Maybe you can get one for your grand children."

"That's not why I asked," I mumbled as she walked over to me. "Why are the petals different colors."

"Well, they started out white," Alex told me. "The flower somehow knows what color each petal turns depending on what happened that year. Like, for example, the ninth color on this flower is maroon. I didn't know it at the time, but that was the year you were born. The flower knew, so it gave me the hint."

"Wow!" I gasped in amazement. "It knew when I was born?"

Alex smiled. "Yep. It knew everything that happened in those ten years I had it."

It was quiet for a moment. "Why's the second petal teal?" I asked.

Alex's face darkened as she looked down. "I don't wanna talk about it," she said. She sat down on her bed, closing the drawer.

"Please," I begged. I sat down beside her and grabbed her hand. "We're sisters, remember? No secrets."

Alex sighed, and being so close, I could feel her shake. "The dark teal represented Lucas," she said in a whimper.

I looked down. I didn't know much about Lucas. I just knew that he was Alex's older brother and he disappeared. He arrived in Ninjago City at one point and gave Molly's old roommate a letter. Then he disappeared again. I wanted to know more now that I knew he was my brother too. "What happened that year?" I asked impulsively. "Why isn't Lucas here now?"

Alex took a shaken breath. "The skeletons of the Underworld took him. I don't know why but they did."

I thought for a moment. I was about to ask if she thought he may have been still alive, but a voice in my head said, _Go find him. Get him back._ I paused. I'd heard that voice before, a couple months back.

"In that case," I said. "Let's go find Jamie, get the letter, and get Lucas back."

"Echo, we can't..."

"Sure we can!" I exclaimed. "I'm sure Mom and Dad won't mind me leaving if it was on a mission this important!"

Alex smiled at me. "You'd really come to the Underworld with me to get Lucas?"

"Sure!" I said. "He's my brother too. We'll need to tell the other ninja of course."

"Right," Alex agreed.

"Let's go!"

* * *

**Break down the wall!**

**Echo: Hello!**

**Caleb: *waves***

**Nancy: Hello people behind the computer screen!**

**I love these three! Nancy, the gossip. Caleb, the mute. Echo, the ninja. They are amazing!**

**Caleb: *signs something to Echo***

**Echo: He said this is a for-**

**Review, no flames!**


	3. Chapter 2

**No reviews? Awww… :'(**

**Well enjoy the next chapter. **

* * *

We all met up on the upper decks and Alex told them what she told me. About how Lucas was taken by skeletons a few years ago. We knew Jamie had the letter, but we didn't know where Jamie was. The ninja didn't seem as eager as Alex and I were. Not even Lloyd.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" I said.

"We're going into the Underworld, to its heart where are the skeletons are. You call that fun?" Kai asked.

I thought it over. "Well..."

"Echo, I know you're anxious, but even if we do go, you can't come with us," Cole told me.

"What? Why?" I whined.

"You're too... inexperienced," Jay said, but I knew he was going to say young at first.

I crossed my arms. "Well, that's not fair," I complained. "It was my idea."

"We know," Zane said. "But Jay is right. Remember your insident at school."

I glared down at the deck. Lloyd placed his hand on my shoulder. "Echo, we're only leaving you here because we care about you," he said. "We don't want to see you get hurt."

I sighed and they sent me back down to my room as they got ready. I sat down on bed and pulled out my emergency phone. This was in emergency in my opinion. I dialed a number and listened to it ring. "Hello?" Nancy's voice came through.

"The ninja are total jerks!" I cried.

"What? What's wrong, sweetie?" Nancy asked.

"The details are unimportant and really none of your business," I told her. "But I got them to agree to a rescue mission, and they're not letting me go! It was my idea!"

"That's so not fair! You've been training your butt off every afternoon," Nancy said.

"I know!"

"So what're you gonna do now?"

"No... What are we going to do?"

"We?"

"Nancy, I need you. If I sneak out and follow them by myself... Well I'm still worried about the serpentine..."

"So how can I help? I'm no ninja!"

"You took classes at the Dojo when you were five right?"

"Yeah, but..."

"And you take gymnastics."

"Yeah, but..."

"And I can sneak you a weapon! Please Nancy, you have to help me out on this!"

There was a sigh. "Fine. Where do we meet up?"

* * *

I snuck out the window and scaled down the ship to the anchor. It took an hour to do! I was so scared of falling I didn't hurry. I couldn't follow the ninja to the Underworld if I had a broken leg. I wanted to find Jamie and get the letter first.

As I got into Ninjago City, I almost ran into Caleb. "Oh, gosh Caleb. I'm sorry," I said.

He waved his had, his way of saying, _Forget about it._ He signed, _So, what are you doing?_

"I'm heading to see Nancy," I told him.

_Why are you in your ninja suit?_ he asked.

I sighed. I couldn't lie to Caleb, he was my friend, but I didn't want to get him involved either. "Well, Nancy is helping me out with a mission," I said. "It's nothing, really."

_Can I come?_

"No, I don't want you getting hurt."

_You said it was nothing big!_

"Uh... Caleb, if you wanna come I won't stop you, but just be careful."

_Careful is my middle name._

We continued down to the orphanage and met up with Nancy. "Okay, so I called Molly. She said Jamie moved into a house by the diner. So we should go there and ask around," she said.

We walked to the diner and started asking around if anyone knew where Jamie lived. A nice man directed us to a two story house. I knocked on the door.

A woman answered. She had long orange hair and bright blue eyes. "Uh, yes?" she asked.

"Uh, are you Jamie?" I asked her.

"Yes I am," she replied. "Who are you?"

"My name is Echo and this is Nancy and Caleb. We're on a special mission from the ninja and we're looking for a letter," I said.

Jamie crossed her arms. "If this is a game, I don't have a letter."

"It's not a game," Nancy said. "Molly sent us here."

Jamie dropped her arms. "So you're from the orphanage? How are you with the ninja?"

I put my hands together and thought _cloud_ over and over. A small grey cloud appeared in my hands. "The ninja found me because of my powers," I told her. I lifted the cloud up for her to see. "They've been training me for a couple months now."

Jamie stared at the cloud. She placed her hand over it, but it disappeared. "Wow... and you said Molly sent you?" She thought for a moment. "Lucas! Okay, wait right here." She closed the door and we sat down on her steps.

"So who's Lucas?" Nancy asked me.

"Apparently my brother," I said. "He's... he's in the Underworld last my sister knows of."

_The Underworld?_ Caleb asked. _Like with the skeletons?_

"Yep," I mumbled.

"Echo?" I heard someone ask. I looked up and saw Lloyd. I was so busted. "Echo what are you doing here?"

"Uh... I'm just hanging out with..."

"Oh my gosh!" Nancy squealed. "It's the golden ninja! I love you!"

Lloyd smiled a little. "It's nice to meet you, uh..."

"Nancy, my name is Nancy!"

"Right..."

Caleb just waved.

"Echo, you're grounded. Us going on a mission doesn't change that," Lloyd chided.

Caleb turned to me. _So, you were not apart of this mission?_

I shook my head. "Yeah, well I would've died of boredom all alone on the Bounty," I said. "I know the others were there, but they're no fun."

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to call Mom and..."

"Lloydy, please don't tell!" I begged, jumping up and wrapping my arms around my brother.

He sighed. "Fine, but you'll only get in more trouble." He walked away.

"How come you get to hug him?" Nancy asked.

"Because he's my brother."

"Oh... So what I'm hearing is he's single."

"Nope, he has a thing with Lillie."

"Of course he does..."

The door opened. "Here you go," Jamie said, handing me the letter. "Good luck ninja." She went back inside.

"Come on," I said to my friends. "Let's go somewhere more private before reading the letter." And we took off.

* * *

**Well... Our trio is off to an excellent start! How long will the luck hold out? Have Misako and Wu realized Echo is gone? Why am I asking you? All this will remain a mystery. **

**Echo: Well, isn't that swell. **

**Nancy: Guess what?**

**What?**

**Echo & Nancy: Review!**

**Don't flame me!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Guest: So many questions! Let's see if I can answer them. Maybe... Uh I haven't thought about it to be honest... And that's kinda iffy. Garmadon kinda wants to like Echo because he didn't really mind her before he knew (he actually loves that she thinks he's cool) but he can't get passed the fact that his wife and brother have a daughter. If you think about it, that's kinda messed up. **

**Anyway, enjoy the story!**

* * *

"'Dear Alexandra, I would've loved to search all over Ninjago for you, but the skeletons are on my trail and I don't have that kind of time. The door to the Underworld is in the woods north of Ninjago City. There'll be a cave that leads down behind the castle. When you get the time, come get me. Love, Lucas. P.S. I'm sorry I wrote this in modern language, but I don't have time to translate it to the ancient language.'"

"Wow," Nancy said. "I never would've guessed there was an entrance so close to the orphanage."

"I wouldn't be surprised if it was Ms. Ceader's presence that opened it," I mumbled.

Caleb smiled at my joke. _So, now what? We have to tell the ninja._

"No," I said. "I'll slip them the note and then I'm heading into the Underworld."

"By yourself?"

"Yes. I can't take you two down there."

_Echo!_ Caleb signed angrily. _You are not going down into the heart of the Underworld! Not without us, at least._

"But, Caleb," I argued. "You and Nancy don't have any training!"

"I have enough," Nancy told me. "I'm going."

_And I can handle myself,_ Caleb signed. _Please, just trust that._

I smiled a little. "You guys are the bestest friends ever."

"We know that," Nancy said. "Now come on, let's go!"

I nodded and we slipped out of the alleyway. I looked around and spotted Lillie. "Here," I said, handing the note to Caleb. "Go give that note to Lillie, say something random in sign language, and walk away."

_Uh... Are you sure?_ he asked.

"I'm sure, now go," I insisted.

He sighed and walked over to Lillie. He handed her the scroll and signed something that looked like, _Cactus, rutabaga, mushroom, see ya. _I had to stifle a laugh.

He walked back over to us. _That girl should have blonde hair, _he signed.

"Tell me about it," I mumbled. "I'm smarter than her!"

"You're smarter than me," Nancy said.

"Yeah, well, Lillie's nineteen..."

_I never would have guessed._

I shot a small look at Caleb. "Anyway..." I murmured. "We have to head north. Let's go!" We took off out of the city.

* * *

It took a while to find where the entrance could've been. That's when I realized that I couldn't do this anymore. "So the fact that the Underworld is underground never occurred to you?" Nancy asked.

"Uh... no," I mumbled. I reached into my pockets and pulled out two kunai. "Um... you guys better take these now. Unless you want to call it quits. I'm totally fine with that."

"No way," Nancy said. She swiped the kunai from me. "We're doing this. Echo I know how hard you've trained, I've seen you doing tricks on the playground when you think no one is watching. You're ready for this, and the ninja are foolish to believe otherwise."

I smiled at Nancy. "Thanks." I turned to Caleb. "I'd actually prefer if you backed out," I said softly. "Nancy has had at least some training, like at the Dojo when she was little and she takes gymnastics. You don't have training in any way..."

_Echo, we went over this, _Caleb signed. _I can handle myself. _He grabbed the kunai—which I originally brought because Alex said a ninja always carries back up, but Caleb needed it more. He smiled at me and slipped the kunai into his pocket.

We started into the cave and I immediately felt helpless. I tried fighting the feeling, but suddenly there was a wolf howl from further inside the cave. "What was that?" I asked.

"Uh, a wolf," Nancy guessed.

A girl suddenly appeared. She had brown hair, blue eyes, and wore a camoflauge tank top with turquoise shorts. "You kids are pretty far from home," she said. "What are you doing here?"

_Wolf girl, _Caleb signed over and over. I assumed it was a warning.

"Uh, we're looking for the Underworld," I said nervously. "Th-the n-ninja sent us."

"Ninja? They don't have access here," the girl said. "Go home."

"Uh, w-what abot Alex?" I asked. "She's one of th-the ninja."

"Alex? Why didn't you say so?" the girl smiled. "I'm Jessica. Alex is like my best friend. I wonder why she never told me she was a ninja."

"I did. Fifty times," a voice behind us said.

Nancy, Caleb, and I all jumped and spun around. "Hi, Alex," I whispered.

"The pink ninja?" Nancy mumbled, probably trying to do what she did with Lloyd—go fan girl so Alex loses focus. I don't think it would've worked with Alex though. "That's so cool!"

"Shut it," Alex snapped. "What are you three doing? Echo we said you weren't going on this mission. That was what we meant."

"Where are the others?" I asked.

"Waiting for me to give the signal that the wolves are gone," she said. "You three, go back to the Bounty and wait until we get back."

"Wolves aren't gone," Jessica mumbled.

"Well have them hunt or something while we get through," Alex said.

"Do I look like the pack leader?" Jessica questioned. "I'm not in charge."

"So tell them to at least ignore us," Alex said kindly, though a little sarcastically. "We mean no harm... to them."

Jessica nodded and walked deeper into the cave. Alex made us stand a side as the rest of the ninja came through. She told them she'd explain later, you know, why we were there. We watched as they disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

**What do you think will happen next?**

**Echo: They'll find a giant AC and...**

**Wrong story. **

**Nancy: They'll leave. **

**Caleb: *signs something***

**And we have a winner!**

**Echo & Nancy: So Reveiw!**

**Caleb: *signs* "Don't flame!"**


	5. Chapter 4

**Guest: An epilogue is an ending...also by this point they probably know she's gone but because it's 1st person POV, I can't write what they think. Now about Caleb...I...no comment. (Imagine me smirking.)**

**So, uh, enjoooyyeeee!**

* * *

We started back to the Bounty. Me and my big mouth got my friends and I in trouble. Now I didn't get to go on the mission to the Underworld and I was probably grounded until I'm thirty! I wanted to help find Lucas, to be there with my brother and sister as I meet my older, older brother. Though a part of me was glad Alex caught me. The thought really never did occur, that the Underworld was underground.

"Wait a second," Nancy said as we neared the edge of the forest. Caleb and I stopped and turned to her. "Why are we just giving up? So what if a ninja said to go where it's safe?"

"Uh, maybe she was right," I said. "Maybe I'm not ready for..."

"That's a big pile of beans!" Nancy shouted. "You're ready for it! I don't know about you, but I'm no quitter."

Caleb and exchanged looked._ In that case... I'm in._

I looked at the two. Why were they so determined to help me? Did they know something I didn't? I clentched my fists. This was suppose to be my mission, I didn't want to drag them along. I knew they'd get hurt. "Guys, really we need to listen," I said. "I'm not putting your lives in danger, and I don't understand why you're pushing me."

"Echo..." Nancy said softly, but she looked down.

"What?" I asked. I looked up as clouds started forming. I needed to control my powers, and I needed to cool down before someone got hurt.

Caleb snapped his fingers and I looked to him. _Echo, we are... well... jealous. You lived at the orphanage since you were one and then you get to train to be a ninja because you met your real parents. Our parents don't train ninja, mine are dead. We just want to be able to do what you do._

"Yeah," Nancy agreed. "Plus we want to help you prove yourself."

I thought it over, the clouds above slowly vanishing. "Okay," I mumbled. "We'll go..."

Nancy squealed and grabbed my hand, then Caleb's, and the started pulling us back to the cave. "I saw that Jessica girl and the wolves leave while we were talking. Sneaking in will be a bre-ah!"

I looked and saw a pregnant wolf laying in the middle of the cave. She was fast asleep. I slowly, and carefully, pulled Nancy and Caleb so we went around her. We snuck into the back of the cave and let go the breaths we'd been holding. "That was close," I breathed.

Caleb nodded. _Let's keeping going._

"Well duh," Nancy said.

We made our way deeper underground. I took a few deep breaths as the comforting light of day faded. Finally, we made it to the bottom end of the cave. I kept looking around, an uneasy feeling in my gut.

"Okay, does anyone have an actual plan?" Nancy asked.

"My idea was stealth," I whispered. "But..."

_Echo, there is nothing to be afraid of, _Caleb signed. _We are right here the whole time._

I nodded and tried calming myself down. If I didn't think about it, it didn't really seem like I was underground. The Underworld looked pretty cool. It had a bunch of floating islands, cliffs everywhere, and a cool looking castle. I tried to ignore the stalagtites that showed I was under the earth.

"Okay, so we sneak into the castle, avoiding the guards, find Lucas, also avoiding the ninja, and..."

"Nancy," I interrupted. "Keep your voice down."

I saw a skeleton guard around the side of the castle. I grabbed Nancy and Caleb and pulled them behind a stalagmite. I listened and waited for the sound of boney feet to vanish behind the castle. I took a deep breath and turned to Nancy.

"Sorry," Nancy whispered. "Let's just sneak inside."

_Why didn't I come up with that? _Caleb asked.

I couldn't help but let a giggle slip. Caleb wasn't that bad…for a boy. We snuck around until we could see the entrance. "Okay," I whispered. "We need a way to distract the guards while we sneak in."

_I have an idea, _Caleb signed. _Just... Don't... Don't tell anyone what I'm doing._

"Nancy, I believe he means you," I whispered teasingly. "We won't tell anyone, Caleb."

"Yeah, I'll make sure to keep Echo's big mouth shut," Nancy smirked.

Caleb let out a quiet sigh and nodded. He put his hands together and a small light imitted from them. As he pulled them apart, a small toy robot appeared.

"Cool," I said. "So you could've made your own weapon?"

Caleb shook his head. He set the robot down and repeated the process, this time making a remote. He pulled the antena and turned to the robot. He signaled for us to move behind a different stalagmite. I peered around the corner. The coast was clear. I nodded and we ran over to one not too far away.

"You sure this'll work?" Nancy asked.

Caleb nodded. He pushed the lever up and the robot began walking out from behind the stalagmite. It made a slight noise, and it definately caught the attention of some guards. They started to surround the little toy, making jokes. No one was guarding the entrance so we just walked in. Caleb set the remote in front of the castle gate and we rushed inside.

* * *

**Short chapter eh? Great now I'm Vanessa! Anyway, review and don't flame. **


	6. Chapter 5

**Guest: No, his powers are that he can create things that he's touched before. **

* * *

We started down the corridors, keeping to the shadows so we were less easily spot. We could hear from the commotion echoing through the long halls that the skeletons were suspicious about the robot. It was only a matter of time before they found them. They needed to hurry up and find Lucas.

"Any idea where he might be?" Nancy asked.

"Most likely a cell," I said. "They probably have a corridor just for holding prisoners."

_We have to find it somehow! It isn't like we can stop and ask for directions, _Caleb told us.

"You three lost?"

We all jumped and turned to see a girl, probably older than Alex, with blonde hair and light blue eyes. She was wearing an ice blue ninja suit.

"Um, yeah," I said nervously. "We're looking for–"

"Lucas," the girl guessed. "I see... Well you're in luck, I know where his cell is. Just follow me..."

"Wait! How do we know you're not working with the skeletons?" Nancy asked.

I sighed. "Nancy! She's in a ninja suit! Who's side do you think she's on?"

"Oh!" Nancy said. "Well excuse me for being cautious in the Underworld!"

Caleb grabbed our arms to get our attention before signing, _Since we are in the Underworld we should be quiet!_

"Sorry," I whispered to him. I turned back to the girl. "How do we know you're not trying to trick us. We don't even know your name."

The girl sighed. "My name is Zoey and I'm—according to Lucas—the Ninja of Prophecies."

"So you can see the future or something? A seer?" I questioned.

Zoey smiled. "You're a smart one, Echo. Yes I'm a seer. I... We need to go."

"Why?" Nancy asked. "Are the skeletons coming?"

"You are trying to avoid the other ninja too, aren't you?" Zoey asked. "They're lost here, and I was going to talk to them but Lucas insisted you three be the ones to find him."

_So why are we just standing here?_ Caleb asked.

Zoey nodded and we started down the hall. "Uh, if you're here why haven't you rescued Lucas?" Nancy asked.

"Oh, I'm not a fighter. Fighting would require physical contact," Zoey said.

"But you're a ninja," I said.

"An untrained ninja," she corrected. "The closest to training I got was right after they brought me here and Lucas tried teaching me Spinjitzu."

"Oh, so why don't you just leave? You could've gone to the ninja and brought them back," I said.

Zoey mumbled something that I didn't catch before she said, "Getting out of my cell and hiding within the castle is easy. Leaving the castle and escaping the Underworld seems impossible."

We stopped at the end of a corridor. "The other ninja will be here in twenty minutes, they get lost a few times. Lucas is in this cell."

I saw a button and walked over to it. I pushed it and the floor opened up. "Finally!" a voice called up. Next thing I know there's a man standing next to Zoey. "I thought you'd never get here."

"Lucas," I guessed. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him.

He knelt down and accepted my hug. "It's nice to finally meet you Echo. So I hear my mom is your mom and my uncle is your dad. We have one messed up family."

"No kidding," I agreed. "My uncle was evil and killed a giant snake, my mom and dad are really old, my sister's spirit is intertwined with some evil spirit, my younger older brother is the Golden Ninja, and you're here!"

"Wow, you learn something new everyday," Nancy said.

Lucas and I turned to her. "Well, Miss Nancy," he said. "It's not like you aren't hiding or just not mentioning things about your life."

Nancy's cheeks flushed red. "My secrets are my secrets and secrets for a reason."

"I know, and I won't pry," Lucas said.

_Guys I hear something, _Caleb signed, looking down the hall.

"Zoey, get the kids out of here," Lucas ordered. "I'll hold them off."

"But I don't see any..." Zoey started as she turned. Suddenly she dropped to the ground.

"Zoe!" Lucas said, rushing to her side. He turned back to us. "You three need to go. Hurry!"

"What about you?" I asked. "I just met you, you're my brother! You can't just ask me to leave you behind!"

Suddenly the air got thick and I felt dizzy. Caleb fell over and then Nancy. I didn't know what was happening but Lucas toppled too. I closed my eyes and next thing I knew I was on the ground. The air started to return to normal but I still felt like my brain was shutting down.

"What do we do with them?"

"Lucas goes back in his cell, he's to dangerous to have anywhere else. Zoey on the other hand goes to cell EC16."

"And the kids?"

"Why not. Put them in with Lucas. We'll see what they can do in the morning. Perhaps they can be of some value."

I tried moving my arms or opening my eyes but I couldn't. The rest of my body was shut down and my brain was following. I opened my mouth to say something but that was it. I blacked out.

* * *

I opened my eyes and it took a minte for them to adjust to the darkness. There was actually a small light from the walls. I went to push myself up, but my hands were bound behind me. "I gotcha," Lucas said from behind me. He grabbed my hand and slowly helped me to my feet.

I looked around and it felt like my heart stopped. This time I could tell I was underground. Deep underground. My head was spinning, my heart was racing, and my stomach was in knots. "Where are we?" I asked.

Lucas sighed. "My cell."

"I-It's underground," I murmured. "I..."

"Echo? Ugh, what happened?"

I turned to Nancy. "I d-don't know."

Lucas walked over and helped Nancy up. "The skeletons attacked. I would've woken you guys up as soon as I awoke, but I figured you needed your sleep," he said.

"Sleep? I can go twenty hours without sleeping!" Nancy retorted.

"Oh, uh..."

"She has insomnia," I told him.

"So I can assume you didn't dream," Lucas said. "And Echo, what about you?"

"No," I said.

"Good," Lucas said. "This cell was designed to hold me and to use my powers for the skeletons. Any dreams instantly turn to nightmares."

"You're a telepath aren't you?" I asked. "That's how you were able to speak in mine and Alex's minds."

"Yes, but most of this cell is made from venge stone. It stops my powers. Only when I'm having a nightmare do they work," Lucas said.

I looked around and spotted Caleb. I walked over to him and knelt down. "Caleb," I said. "Wake up."

Caleb closed his eyes tighter in his sleep. He rolled to the side and then rolled back. I was worried he was having a nightmare and sat down next to him. Moving quickly, I lifted myself up a little so I could get my hands under my legs. Then I moved them to the front of me so I could reach forwards. I kneeled down and started shaking Caleb.

"Wake up!" I insisted. "Caleb!"

Caleb opened his eyes and sat bolt up. He looked to me and gave a small smile. He realized his hands were tied behind him and frowned. I guess for him, having his hands tied behind him was like if my mouth was duct taped or gagged. He couldn't talk without his hands.

I helped him to his feet and we turned to Nancy and Lucas. "Okay, so how are we escaping?" Nancy asked.

"Escaping? This cell was made three years after I was brought her. They made sure there was no way for me to escape," Lucas said. "We're stuck here until Zoey or the other ninja come."

"Or until the skeletons come back," I mumbled. "They said they were going to."

Caleb gently nudged me. I looked to him and he gave me a look that said, _Don't talk like that._ Then it changed to, _We'll be fine._

I nodded and reached for my kunai. They hadn't taken it, but it didn't surprise me they decided not to search a seven-year-old for weapons. I used it to cut the rope around my hands. I turned to Nancy.

"No, no, no," Nancy said, backing up. "I'm not so sure I'm comfortable with you cutting..."

"Nancy, I know how to use it. I learned from the Ninja of Weapons herself," I assured her, walking over. "Just turn around."

Nancy sighed and turned. "If there's just one cut on me..."

I cut her rope and took a step back. "See, it's fine." I cut Lucas's next and then Caleb.

_Thanks,_ he signed.

"No problem," I smiled. I turned to Lucas. "I think I have a plan."

Lucas smiled. "Let's hear it."

"Okay, so first off, how strong are you?"

* * *

**Nancy: Ooh! Another Echo plan!**

**Caleb: *signs* "Didn't her last one get everyone caught?"**

**Echo: Yeah, but this one is after my ninja training. I got this. **

**Lucas: I believe in you! So everyone else that's reading this, review! Don't flame!**

**I love knocking down that fourth wall. **


	7. Chapter 6

**Sorry I'm late, but I didn't rush myself because I thought I had a chapter ready. Turns out I was wrong. So here it is...after this review reply. **

**Guest: The thought never occurred...you know what else didn't occure? Caleb's new parents. THEY LOST HIM ALREADY!**

* * *

"Hold me steady!" I said, feeling the ceiling for a crease.

"Why are you on top?" Nancy asked.

"I'm the lightest," I replied. I felt the crack running along the roof. "Found it! Caleb, do you have it ready?"

"Here!" Nancy said, passing up the flat piece of plastic.

I slid the fake credit card into the crack and kept sliding it along. "Not finding anything," I mumbled. The door suddenly opened. "Woah!" I stumbled back and our little tower fell. "Not my fault," I said.

Light flooded the room and Lucas got up, standing in front of us. "What do you want?" he asked, keeping his hands behind his back.

"Sukeruton wants to test the kids. If they're tough enough to get down here all on their own..."

"Sukeruton?" I questioned, putting my hands behind my back and motioning for Nancy and Caleb to do the same.

"He's the newest ruler of the Underworld," Lucas whispered to us. He turned back to the skeletons above us. "I won't let you lay a hand on any of these kids."

"We'd like to see you try and stop us!" a skeleton yelled down. Four jumped down.

I stood up and so did Nancy and Caleb. "Got anymore ideas?" Nancy asked.

"Uh... No," I replied. "You?"

"I'm not the smart one," Nancy argued.

"When I say, you three get ready," Lucas said. "Ninja-Go!" He spun into a teal Spinjitzu vortex and knocked down the skeletons. "Now! Come here." We ran over to him. "Each of you are going up."

"What about you?" I asked.

"I'm right behind you," he assured us.

I nodded and Lucas gave me a boost up. I pulled myself up and waited for Nancy and Caleb. I helped them up and then Lucas came up. "We're going to find Zoey now right?" I asked.

"Affirmative," Lucas said. "Just stay close and let me know if you see a skeleton." He started down the corridor.

"He's just like the ninja," Nancy mumbled.

_He doesn't think we can handle ourselves, _Caleb agreed.

"No kidding," I murmured. "Let's just stay focused."

We walked down another corridor and stopped. "Alex," Lucas said.

Alex ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I missed you, Lucas," she said.

"Busted again," Nancy said.

Alex sure didn't care that we were there. She was crying a little, but I didn't blame her. It sounded like her and Lucas were close before he was brought down here. Lloyd walked over to the two, giving me a small glare. I shrugged and he shook his head. I bet he would've done the same thing if he were me.

"Uh, Lloyd this is Lucas," Alex said, pulling away and wiping her eyes. "Lucas this is your brother Lloyd."

"Ah, the Golden Ninja," Lucas said. "So you fought our dad? Did you win?"

"Of course I won," Lloyd said boldly.

"He fought his own father?" Nancy questioned quietly.

"Yeah, it was when that giant dragon attacked the city," I whispered back. "It's really complicated and I don't even get it."

_Well, that must have been tough, _Caleb signed.

I nodded in agreement before turning my attention back to the ninja.

"I say we need to get out, eh," Vanessa said. "Before the skeletons notice."

"Not without Zoey," Lucas insisted. "I'm not leaving her down here."

"Who is Zoey?" Zane asked.

Lucas smiled a little. "You'll see," he said. "I just need to know where she…" He turned to me. "You heard them right?"

I nodded. "EC16."

Lucas's eyes widened. "We have to go, now!" he insisted, taking off down the corridor.

The other ninja looked to us. "Uh...don't just stand there!" I said. "Let's go get Zoey!" Grabbed Nancy's and Caleb's hand and started down to corridor.

"Smooth," Nancy smiled.

I rolled my eyes. "We don't have time for questions," I told her. "Obviously EC16 is really bad or something."

Caleb pulled his hand away and signed, _What do you think E and C stands for? Sixteen is probably just the cell number._

"Emergency, extra," I mumbled. "It could be anything!"

"And C?" Nancy questioned.

"Cell, duh," I said.

"Don't duh me," Nancy pouted.

We stopped where Lucas was. He took a deep breath and turned to us. He glanced at us and then up to the ninja as they arrived. "EC16 is right down that hall," he said, pointing to the hall around the right corner. "There are six skeleton guards and ten skeletons inside. There isn't any venge stone so I think we can take them."

"I hope you're thinking this through and not being rash," Cole said.

Lucas looked down at the ground. "Okay, yeah maybe we need a moment to prepare, but...look I've never fought the skeletons with anyone except Zoey before. I don't know how many with all of us would be too many."

"We've fought skeletons before," Kai informed him. "It's not like sixteen is too much of a challenge."

"We should take them down quickly so that they can't call in more guards," Zane suggested.

"So we'll use stealth to get over there and take out the six guarding. Then we can sneak in and take down the others," Lloyd decided.

"Travel by shadows," Lillie agreed.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Tove asked before turning invisible. "Let's go."

"What about us?" I asked. "We can help."

"You can keep watch," Vanessa said. "It's the most important job, eh."

"Exactly," Alex nodded. "If you see any more skeletons then let us know."

I sighed, mad I couldn't be apart of the action. "Okay," I said reluctantly.

The ninja made there way down the hall while Nancy, Caleb and I stayed and "guarded".

"This is boring," Nancy said, sitting down. "But while we're here, I wanna hear more about Caleb's powers. You made a toy robot and a fake credit card."

"Yeah, I'm not seeing the relation either," I said, sitting down with her.

Caleb sat down and signed, _I can create things that I've touched before. Seriously though, you can't tell anyone._

"Why not? Your powers are amazing! There's no reason to hide," Nancy told him.

"Yeah," I smiled. "And at least you have powers that can destroy everything in Ninjago if you slip up."

Caleb frowned. _You guys just don't understand. I never asked for my powers and I just want them gone. Sure they can be useful, but I just...I hate them_

I looked down for a moment before meeting his sage eyes. "Caleb, I understand what you mean, about not asking for them and just wanting them gone. No one asks for powers, and very few have them. I know of...thirteen people—including you—that actually have powers. All of us at one point saw them as a curse, but once you get use to them..."

_No! I don't want them! _Caleb signed furiously. _You don't understand the pain they've caused! You just..._ He pulled his legs up to his chest.

I did a quick look around. No skeletons, not that it surprised me. I moved over and put my arm around Caleb comfortingly. "Caleb," I said softly. "I'm sorry, I just...I know my mind about my powers changed a little after I got use to them. What happened that you can't give yours a chance?"

"Please, we're here for you," Nancy said.

Caleb took a deep breath. _When I was three, my parents and I were heading out of the city to see my grandparents. I was messing around in the back seat, just playing with my stuffed animals... _He paused for a moment to wipe a few tears from his eyes. _I dropped one of them and started to reach for it. I couldn't and started throwing a fit, but my parents didn't notice. Something happened and the stuffed animal appeared in my hands but it was still on the floor. Then... _He stopped and looked down.

Nancy and I exchanged looks, kinda already guessing where it was going. "Caleb, you don't have to finish," I told him.

He shook his head. _I have to get this off my chest. Anyway, I was kinda amazed at what I did and set my animals down to try again. I didn't know what to make and I glanced up at the mirror. I decided that's what I wanted and a small hand mirror appeared in my hands. I started playing with it and I guess the sun came through and...then another car collided with ours._

I put my arms around Caleb. "Oh, Ca...I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what that was like," I said. "I get why you wouldn't want to use your powers."

"No wonder you never mentioned your parents or powers," Nancy added, joining in on the hug. "I promise I won't breath a word of either for as long as I live."

I didn't care about the skeletons anymore. I wanted to be there for Caleb. If one day he wanted to try and give his powers another shot, I'd be there for him. Even if he didn't and now, I'll be there for him.

* * *

**So...sorry again...review and n flaming! :)**


	8. Chapter 7

**Guest: Yes he should.**

**Onwards!**

* * *

We continued to sit. I felt like they were taking too long, but I kept my mouth shut. Maybe it just seemed like a long time.

"So Echo, what about your powers?" Nancy asked.

"My powers? Uh, I can make storms...that's all there is to tell," I replied.

_No, how did you discover them?_ Caleb asked.

I thought for a moment. "Molly and I got back early from candy sales and then Pythor attacked. I didn't know it was my powers until the next day though."

"Pythor?"

"Big purple snake. He's a serpentine, but I forget which type."

_So nothing major happened with your powers?_ Caleb questioned.

I frowned. "I tried to get rid of them, but I couldn't. They were only surpressed and even though I tried to get hem back, I'm sure if I didn't they would've came back anyway."

"I wish I had some kind of powers," Nancy mumbled. "And I wish I could be a ninja...and yet I don't...is that weird?"

_No, I feel the same way,_ Caleb signed. _Being a ninja and going on missions sounds cool but it also sounds like a lot of work._

"I wish I would've had some sort of choice with it," I said. I sighed and looked down the hall. "Where are they?"

"Calm down, Echo, maybe they just got held up in the fight," Nancy said.

I stood up and started pacing. "No, it shouldn't be taking so long." I glanced down the hall. "Maybe we should..."

"What are you three doing here?"

We all turned to see a skeleton. "Um, we got lost," Nancy lied so good I almost believed her. "There were these woods and then we found this entrance and then we found a castle and then...we're here."

The skeleton frowned. "That's not very detailed."

"I'm eight!" Nancy exclaimed.

"And I'm almost eight," I added with a smile.

_Nine,_ Caleb signed.

"What's wrong with him?" the skeleton asked.

"Nothing's wrong wih him, what's wrong with you?!" Nancy and I both snapped at the same time. It made us look at each other for a moment. How we did it I may never know!

The skeleton crossed his boney arms. "You three need to leave before things get messy," he growled.

"I think I saw the exit this way," I said, pointing down the hall to where EC16 was. "Come on, guys." We hurried down the hall.

"Hey!" the skeleton called, chasing after us.

I stopped at the door that had a 16 carved into it and tried to open it. Something was keeping it from moving. "It won't open!" I said, struggling. I felt a hand on my arm pull me back.

"You three have to leave now!" the skeleton said. "I'm giving you one last chance since you're so young."

"Uh..." I stared at the skeleton for a moment. I needed a plan, but what?

"Excuse me, but can you please release my friend?" Nancy asked harshly.

The skeleton let go of me. "So if this isn't the exit what is it?" I asked.

"A trap," the skeleton mumbled. "But it's none of your concern. Please come with me before you have to permanently join us down here." He eyed Caleb.

_All right,_ he signed. _Where is the exit?_

The skeleton frowned. "Have you been here before?"

Caleb stiffened and shook his head.

"I'm sure you have," the skeleton mused. "Blonde...sage...how old did you say you were?"

That was as good enough a distraction in my opinion. I pulled out a kunai and struck at the skeleton. He fell apart. I smiled. "It's good to know skeletons break easily." I turned to Caleb who was as pale as Tove. "You okay?"

He slowly nodded. 'Fine.' His hands were shaky which meant he most definately was not fine. I would've pressed for it, but if he wanted to tell us he would.

Nancy kept trying at the door. "It won't open!"

"That's because it was a trap for the ninja, silly girl," the skeleton's head said. "That door won't open, but the other will."

I shivered a little. It was weird for the head to not be attached to the body and still talking. "How do we get in?" I asked.

"You don't," he growled. "Guards!"

_We have to go,_ Caleb insisted.

"How? That's the only way out," I told him. "It's the way the guards are coming."

Before we knew it we were surrounded by skeletons. "Think we can take them?" Nancy asked.

"Maybe if we were on the surface and I could use my powers," I said. "But down here...I don't know."

"You kids have meddled enough," one of the skeletons said.

I closed my eyes. Maybe if I tried hard enough I could make a storm, even just a small cloud, but nothing worked. I opened my eyes again. "I never meddle...sometimes I just spy a little."

"Let us go, we didn't do anything," Nancy said. The skeletons looked to the one that I had knocked apart. "Uh...Echo did that. Take her."

"Nancy!"

"I'm sorry, Echo, but I don't want to be trapped down here again...maybe I should stop talking."

"You were already captured once? Do you have the mark of the Underworld?" a skeleton asked, stepping forwards.

"The what?" Nancy and I questioned.

Caleb grabbed his shoulder for a moment before signing, _Just let us go._

Something clicked into place. Caleb was in a car accident when his parents died. Was it possible that he ended up in the Underworld for a shot time before someone got to him? I looked to him. The skeletons kept saying he looked familiar, so that must've been it, yet he still insisted he come with us! Something else twisted to and I had the same feeling I had right before I fought the serpentine. This was why neither of them should've come down, they couldn't fight like I could, even though what I could do wasn't much to begin with.

"Run," I said softly, but loud enough that Nancy and Caleb heard. I didn't give them time to argue. With my kunai firmly in my hand, I attacked the skeletons.

* * *

**Echo is such a good friend!**

**Nancy: She's like a mini Alex!**

**Echo: Uh...thanks. **

**Caleb: *signs. "Review!"**

**Kai: Don't flame!**

**Alex: Since ANs are all in your head, can I kill Kai?**

***nods* That would be awful. (NOT!)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Guest: I love your reviews! Have the time it makes me question myself, but in a good way!**

* * *

Let me tell you, an adreniline rush really does work. I was determined to protect my friends, and I managed to turn twenty to one to ten to one. I'd made a small path and let Nancy and Caleb take off down the hall. I fought for about five minutes after they were gone before the adreniline kinda left and a skeleton was able to restrain me. My breath was heavy and I felt sweat run down my face. I hoped Nancy and Caleb were far enough away as the skeletons started leading me down the hall. I tuned them out, not caring what they were saying, my mind already racing to find a way out of this. Sadly I was too tired to think of anything besides, 'Get free, kick butt,' and that didn't seem like a very thought out plan.

We stopped in some kind of throne room. The king, Sukeruton, was sitting in the throne, looking down at me. "What's this? I was told that you managed to capture three kids that showed potential," he growled.

Two skeletons stepped forwards. "Actually we said we found three that might show potential," one of them said.

"The other two kinda escaped," the second said.

"Kruncha, Knuckles, I think I've heard quite enough failures from you two!" Sukeruton boomed. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't–"

"We'll find the other two!" one said.

"Yeah! And I'll kept Knuckles from messing up!" the other, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say Kruncha, said. The two hurried away and oddly, I wasn't worried about them finding Nancy and Caleb.

"As for you!"

I turned back to the skeleton king. He walked over to me and cupped my chin. I tried pulling back from his boney hand, but then I felt my back run against a boney rib cage and wasnt sure which was worse! I though snakes were bad, these skeletons were just creepy!

"Use your powers," he said. "I know you have some."

"I can't," I managed. "Not underground."

He pulled his hand away. "Oh? It's not like there's any venge stone around."

"That has nothing to do with it," I mumbled. "You can't make a storm underground."

Sukeruton frowned. "I suppose not. Either way, take her to a holding cell."

The skeleton next to the one that was restraining me reached into my pocket and took my kunai. "Wouldn't want ya fighting back now would we?" he chuckled.

The skeletons led me out of the throne room and down a corridor with cells. I didn't want to be thrown into just any cell. Maybe if I put up a fight, I could be thrown in the same cell as the ninja. So I did what I did best. "You know, you guys really aren't as smart as you think you are," I said.

The three skeletons that had me looked to me. "What do you mean?" the one on my left said.

"I mean, technically you guys are all dead and just, well, a skeleton. You don't have a brain anymore," I said. Logic killed, in this case it distracted. "You're barely being held together. I mean, I was able to knock you guys apart and I'm seven." I let that sink into them...

"Oh we're the idiots?" the skeleton holding my hands behind me retorted.

"In case you hadn't noticed, we kinda caught you," the skeleton to my right said. "You call that idiocy?"

"No, I call thinking you can think, idiocy," I smiled.

They stopped. "What do you..."

I pulled away, breaking the skeleton's boney arms off. I had to fight the urge to scream and took off down the hall. I slid around a corner, then another, and then I was at a dead end. The universe truly hated me didn't it?!

They caught me again. "She's too slippery to put in just a regular cell."

"There's another place to put her..."

"There is one more colomn..."

I heard a can open and a gas started to spray. I tried not to breath, but this caught me off guard and in just a few seconds I was gasping for air. As soon as the gas entered my system, I felt myself shut down again. I closed my eyes and passed out.

* * *

"Echo, you awake yet?"

"Lillie! Shut up!"

"I just want to know if she's awake."

"She isn't responding yet now is she, eh?"

I let out a moan as I pulled my self up. My hands were bound behind me to a column of stone, but I was still able to find a comfortable position. I opened my eyes only to find they were already open and the room was just pitch black. "Where are we?" I asked.

"Uh...you don't want an answer to that," Lloyd said from somewhere to my right.

"Are you okay? Where are your friends?" Zane questioned.

"I'm fine, but I'd bought time for Nancy and Caleb to escape. The king went two skeletons, Kruncha and Knuckles, after them but I'm not too worried..."

"Those two bone heads definately aren't the real threat here," Cole said.

"So how did you guys get caught?" I asked.

"They were expecting us," Kai told me. "I guess the skeletons figured out that they don't need air and started fighting with knock out gas. We were all out within seconds."

"Except for Zane and I," Alex said. "We lasted a bit longer and then I lost my breath and passed out."

"I cannot remember how they caught me," Zane confessed.

"Wait, Alex how long can you hold your breath?" I asked.

"Hmmm...well it's been a while since I've timed myself but probably at least five minutes," Alex said.

"Five minutes? No way!" Jay retorted. "Unless you're a nindroid too."

"I assure you I am ninety-eight percent human," Alex said. There was a few seconds of silence before she added, "I think I'm done talking about it."

"Actually the nindroid is over here," Lucas spoke up.

"Lucas!" Zoey hissed quietly.

"It's okay, Zoe," Lucas said. "They aren't going to do what the skeletons have done. I promise."

I blinked a few times, not liking the zero light anymore. "Can anyone make it brighter in here?" I complained.

"Zane's head can be a lightbulb," Jay joked. "Think that'll help?"

"I can't reach my arm panel," Zane said.

"Why not?" Lillie asked.

"Maybe because our hands are tied behind us," Tove said slowly.

"So just do this..."

We were all quiet for a moment. "Lillie, we can't see. What did you do, eh?" Vanessa asked.

"I used my powers to get free," Lillie said from the opposite side as when she had spoken a moment ago.

"Venge stone doesn't affect you?" Lucas questioned. "And you chose to wait to tell us?"

"I thought we were waiting for Echo," Lillie said. "Now, does anyone have a dagger so I can cut the rest of you free?"

"Uh, I am not letting you cut me free," Alex said. "You can cut Kai free first."

"Hey!" Kai snapped.

"Please, I'm a trained ninja," Lillie said. "I know how to use a dagger."

"Oh gosh," Alex mumbled. It was quiet for a moment before she said, "Wow, not a single cut. I'm impressed."

"Thanks Alex!" Lillie giggled.

"Now give me my dagger before you mess up."

A few moments passed and Zane's head lit up which had to her the coolest thing ever! It was a little blinding at first, but my eyes adjusted quickly. Alex walked over to me and cut my bind. I stood up and rubbed my wrists. "Thanks, Sis," I smiled.

"Uh, huh," Alex said, staring at me for a moment. "You just don't listen though, do you?"

I thought for a moment. The easiest thing to say was, "Nope."

"You and Lloyd," Kai mumbled. He looked to my brother. "Like when he tried to take the serpentine problem into his hands and got caught."

"Or when he released them in he first place after I told him countless times not to," Alex added quietly.

"Or when we got turned into kids and he..."

"Wait, what happened?" Tove questioned, cutting off Jay.

"Uh...you know what? Let's just forget it."

"It's good we're getting to know each other better," Zoey said.

I started walking around the room. I think I was getting a little use to being underground. That kinda scared me. I heard voices on the other side of a wall and headed towards it. I listened carefully, trying to tune out the ninja who were coming up with an escape plan.

"Face it, we're lost."

I couldn't identify the voice and I frowned. Who else would be in the Underworld?

"I know, I know...well which way would you go?"

There was a long pause.

"I think you're...did you here that?"

"Echo!"

I jumped and turned to the other ninja. "What?" I asked.

"What are you doing?" Lucas asked.

"I heard someone," I replied, looking to the wall. "On the other side of the wall."

"It's thin?" Alex smiled. She pulled out a dagger. "Do you still hear them?"

I placed my ear on the wall, but after a long moment of silence I figured they were gone. I turned back to my sister. "No."

"Then step back," Alex said. I did so and she walked over, driving her dagger into the wall and cutting a large circle.

"It's not fair your powers aren't affected," Jay mumbled.

"Lots of things are unfair, Jay," Alex said, finishing the circle.

"My powers still work around venge stone," Zoey said with a frown.

"Oh, yay, lucky you, eh," Vanessa said.

"Not really," Zoey sighed.

Alex studied the wall for a moment. "Either we knock it down and draw attention, or someone comes up with a better plan."

"Uh...I vote knock it down," Kai said. "The skeletons should already know we're finding a way to escape."

"I say we find another way," Lucas said. "Don't ever risk it in the Underworld."

"We'll vote then," Zane said. "All in favor of knocking it down?"

I was tempted to raise my hand, but I didn't. Kai and Alex both put their hands up, Lloyd almost voting with them. First time they agreed on something though!

"All in favor of coming up with a better plan?" Cole asked. He, Zane, Jay, Lloyd, Lillie, Vanessa, Tove, Lucas and Zoey raised their hands. I kept my hand down though. We needed to get out quick, but I didn't want to draw the skeletons to us.

"Nine to two," Jay said.

"Echo still didn't vote," Alex argued.

"Either way, we're finding another way," Lloyd said.

I felt a weird feeling in my gut. Something wasn't right. I thought maybe my mind was getting back to the fact that we were underground. That maybe I only seemed over my fear because of how scared I was. I felt light headed and stumbled back into Lloyd.

"Woah, you okay?" he asked, concerned.

"I..." My voice faltered and I felt the twist again. My eye lids began to close and the world became dark.

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**So uh, review and don't flame. **


	10. Chapter 9

**No reviews? Aw. Well, maybe this chapter is worth a review or two. **

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I opened my eyes but I wasn't in the room. I couldn't describe where I was, the scene kept changing. First it was a mountain, then a few seconds later it was a river, then a plain, and it just continued to change. Nancy appeared in front of me. "Did I just do this?" she mumbled.

"Uh, what's happening?" I asked.

"Not sure...did you find the ninja?" she questioned.

I nodded. "Yeah. Did you get out of the Underworld?"

"Um..."

"Nancy."

"No...but this place is turn after turn and just confusing!"

I nodded. "No kidding. So this is your powers? You knock people out and then talk to them that way?"

"Seriously, I don't know," Nancy said, looking down. "I was just thinking that I really needed to talk to you, then my vision went dark and here I am! I can still see Caleb...kinda. It's like wearing extra dark sunglasses with a screen in a lens."

"The really cool kind from on TV?"

"Pretty much!"

I looked around at the changing landscape. "Any chance you can let me go back to me and you going to you?"

"Uh...yes, but first I need to tell you something," Nancy said. "Caleb and I are in a large room with a giant pillar. That's not all...maybe you guys should come see it."

I frowned. "Please don't get caught. We'll come find you. I'm sure Lucas or Zoey knows where you are."

Nancy nodded. "Trust me, we're hidden well. Just...hurry." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then the landscape was gone and she faded away.

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I slowly opened my eyes. "Are you okay, Sis?" Lloyd asked softly.

"I...where..."

"We didn't go far. Lucas and Zoey led us to a safe place. We kinda all needed rest," Lloyd told me.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"About...thirty minutes," Lloyd replied. "We've been right here for about twenty."

I sat up and looked around. It was a small room, lit slightly like the one cell that the skeletons tossed Lucas, Nancy, Caleb and I in. There was a small hole that seemed to be a secret entrance, it was translucent and had hinges on the top. It was big enough for someone to fit through, obviously.

"Nancy wants us to meet her somewhere," I whispered. "A room with a large pillar. She said there's something there that we need to see." I looked down for a moment. "Lloyd, what if Caleb and Nancy get caught?"

Lloyd put his arm around me. "Echo, we'll get to them. Help me get the others up."

I nodded and crawled over to Alex. I was about to shake her awake when she quietly said, "I'm awake. It's hard to sleep in the Underworld." She opened her eyes and sat up.

I nodded and looked over to the others. The three of us woke the others up. I went to Lucas and slowly shook him, not wanting him to think the skeletons were trying to get him. "Lucas," I said softly.

Lucas tightened his eyes for a moment before looking up at me. His eyes flashed teal and he bolted up. "Zoe," he said.

Zoey jumped up. "I'm awake! I'm awake! I'm awake!"

"Hey, calm down," Lucas told her. His eyes glowed a bright teal and I felt a quick, sharp ring in my head. The talk between Nancy and I replayed in my head, quickly but at a speed that I could grasp. _I know what room Nancy was talking about, and we plan on seeing what she described, this link should help? _Lucas's voice said in my head.

"Link?" Jay questioned aloud.

_A telepathic link, Jay, _Zane informed him silently.

_I learn more about my powers all the time,_ Lucas told us. _I thought I could only make a one on one link, but as you can tell, I can do more._

_Where was this telepathic stuff when we really needed it? _Alex asked.

_Except I didn't need them back then. I always knew what you were thinking._

Alex's face blushed red. _Shut up!_

_Come on, we need to go,_ Lloyd reminded us.

Tove vanished and a moment later thought, _All clear._ We crawled out of the exit. Time to see what the skeletons were up to.

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**Pictures for Into the Underworld are on my Instagram MeddlinMegs and my Facebook Page Mor-Inc...or they will be once I draw them. So pick a scene! Also, pick a scene from A Powerful Echo! Remember, I'm a novice artist so please don't make it complicated and pick the scene where she's fighting the serpentine or when the skeletons attack her. I can't draw that. **

**Review and don't flame. **


	11. Chapter 10

**Ah, no review. Does this mean the story is dying? I'm sorry, this one just wasn't as easy as A Powerful Echo (sequels never are) but if the trend continues the final one (Pythor's Return) will be even better! That and I have school so typing is hard. I'm only allowed my iPod out in my advisory period and lunch and we all know lunch is the only time to talk to friends you don't have classes with. Hopefully I'll find some time after school before/after homework/Once Upon A Time. Yes I started a new craze, but only because Ninjago season 4 won't be here until Januray 18th, 2015 and Lego hates me anyway because 1) Coya. Who would ship that? Cole and Nya? SERIOUSLY?! and 2) *spoiler* They killed Zane! I get the whole in the computer thing, but still! Okay I'll stop ranting now and let you read. :)**

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Lucas led us down a series of halls and through rooms and I felt lost. How could one castle be so huge? We went upstairs and downstairs, twice. It was like the halls kept changing, but eventually we reached the room Nancy was talkin about. Tove pulled us all in—still creepy—and we hid on what seemed to be a balcony over a large column. It had wires and parts sticking from it, and tied to a stalagmite nearby were Nancy and Caleb. They both looked terrified, though who wouldn't be? Nancy looked up and saw me. She closed her eyes tightly and I felt another twist in my gut.

_She's contacting me,_ I thought.

Alex nodded and pulled me down to a sitting position. She crossed her legs and sat up straight. _Meditate, it'll help her out,_ she told me.

I nodded and mimicked Alex, clearing my mind of all thoughts. I was back in the changing landscape, but this time it changed to darker places. The Dark Forest, some cave with black stuff that looked like a chunks of night, and finally the Underworld.

"Echo!" Nancy said in a panic. "They're going to destroy Ninjago! That column is a four part bomb. The bottom layer will explode, sending the next one up. Then that'll go up, and then the next and then it'll trigger some kind of mines five feet below the surface of the city!"

"Then we're getting you out and stopping them!" I decided. "Did the skeletons say anything about how to stop it, emergency wise?"

"No," Nancy said, tears forming in her eyes. "Just hurry!"

The connection broke and I looked to the ninja. _Come on!_ I yelled silently, jumping up. _We don't have all day._

_Echo wait–_

_We can't wait!_ I argued to Lloyd. _We have to go now!_

I ran down the stairs to where the skeletons were. "Get her!" one yelled.

As they ran at me, I put my hand out, feeling tornado like winds shoot towards them. The skeletons flew back and I ran over to Nancy and Caleb. I cut the rope and they both hugged me. Another skeleton came at us and we stumbled back. Next thing I knew, Lloyd was standing over us, using his elemental powers to protect us. The other ninja were disassembling other skeletons as the ran in to try and stop us.

"Does anyone know how to shut this thing down?" Lloyd asked, looking to the bomb.

Caleb raised his hand and ran over to it, pulling away a panel of rock to reveal a bunch of wires. Nancy and I ran over. "How do you know which to cut?" I asked. "Here are twenty wires!"

Caleb turned to me and signed, _Easy. They said they connected the blue wire to the controls. So we cut the blue wire so they can't use it._

"But the orange one is connected to the actual bomb. Cut that!" Nancy said.

"Can't we just cut all of them?" I asked.

"No!" I looked over to Lucas. He ran to our side. "Most of these wires are probably decoys that will detonate the bomb if we cut them. So blue and orange."

Caleb pulled out the kunai I have him. He reached up to cut a wire when boney hands grabbed him. Suddenly, he, Lucas and Zoey were all on their knees.

"The Mark of the Underworld!" Sukeruton boomed. "It's beautiful really. Lucas has one from when he was brought here, Zoey has one from when she was built, and Caleb has one from when he died."

"When he what?" Tove questioned. "I'd think I'd know if this kid was dead."

"His life, sadly, was brought back to him by his stobbornness and modern medicine," Sukeruton mumbled, "but his soul still belongs here."

"No it doesn't!" I yelled. "No one here belongs here!"

Sukeruton looked to me and frowned, narrowing his eyes. "Don't think I'm afraid of you, little girl. Just because you took down the serpentine don't mean squat here."

I tensed up. How did he know about the serpentine? I took a step back, Nancy grabbing my hand as she stared at him. I couldn't tell if she looked scared or determined. She just kept me next to her as Sukeruton started towards us.

"Get away from them," Alex growled. Cole went to stop her, but she ran at Sukeruton. With speed that I couldn't follow, he knocked the two swords from her hands, grabbing her wrists, pulling one behind her, and pushing her to the ground. "Let go!"

No one seemed to know what to do. I tried going to attack him, which would've been reckless, so I'm glad Nancy was still holding my hand and keeping me next to her. She met my gaze and then looked to Caleb. "I talked to him, we need to help him," she whispered. "Lucas and Zoey have a higher tolerance but Caleb…"

I nodded and used my other hand to draw my kunai. I had to hit him right. I aimed and flung it, it struck between his rib cage. The brief moment he was distracted was long enough for Lloyd to get him off Alex. Nancy and I scrambled over to Caleb.

_Fire_, he signed. _Shoulder. Fire._

I rolled up his sleeve and found a symbol: **Ω**. The mark of the Underworld. I put my hand over it, feeling the heat for a moment before I took my hand away to blow on it. I stopped as I looked at the new imprint on my hand. Somehow the mark went from his shoulder to my hand. I plance my hand back over the mark and bit on my lower lip as I let the heat surge into my hand and through my body. I kept thinking about how much I needed Caleb to be okay. After a moment I pulled away, the mark on Caleb's shoulder was gone. He smiled up at me weakly and Nancy helped him to his feet.

I stayed on my knees for a moment, looking to my hand. The **Ω** was a thin black line that glowed with red. It burned, but only from my wrist down. I stood and looked to Zoey and Lucas. I didn't think before running over and putting my hand on Lucas's shoulder. I thought about how much I wanted Lucas in my life. He was my brother after all. A moment passed and I pulled my hand away, studying it. The symbol was thicker and the red area spread. The heat scorched up to my elbow. Just one more.

"Echo, don't," Lucas whispered. "You can't touch Zoey." He gave me a stern look.

I gave a little smile. "I promise not to hurt her, and the pain isn't that bad."

"That's not what I meant," Lucas said.

"Well, I have no choice," I said. I moved over to Zoey and put my hand over her mark. My vision faded out, and the pain seemed to fade as a memory played in my head.

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**Um…review! XP**


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